Spring-cushion.



No. 767,042. PATENTED AUG. 9, 1904. E. DENEGRE.

SPRING CUSHION.

APPLIUATION FILED 1320.5. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Patented August 9, 1904.

ilNiTED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

EDWARD DENEGRE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS!" ASSIGNOR TO MCCORD t COMPANIC, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEI/V JERSEY.

sPmNG-eusl-uow.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 767,042, dated August 9, 1904. Application filed December 5, 1903. Serial No. 183,844. (No model.)

To all wh/0711, it muy concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD IJENEGRE, a

citizen oi the United States, residing1 at Ohicago, in the county of Oook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usei'ul Im tional retarding devices, and is in the nature of an improvement on the device set forth and claimed in the prior patent to A. O. McCord, No. 709,998, oi' date September 30,1902, and on the device set forth and claimed in my own prior patent, No. 709,969, of the same date, both entitled Spring-cushion. This present application discloses and claims a modification of the construction certain features of which are more broadly claimed in my companion application, Serial N o. 183,845, iiled oi' even date herewith and entitled Springcushion.

My present invention is illustrated in the accompanying` drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a spring-cushion embodying1 my invention, said section being taken on the line :11' a of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken through the cushion on the line of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing in detail one of the divided or split rocking spring-bases and its divided frictionalsleeve. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a detail in plan, showing a portion of the spring base-plate, some parts being sectioned and others being broken away.

The coiled springs 1, oi which, as shown, there are four, react against an upper eapplate 2 and'indirectly on a lower base-plate 3. 'Ihe top or' the cap-plate 2 is straight or fiat and has downwardly-turned ends which engage, under a sliding frictional pressure, upturned ends of the base-plate 3, the latter, as shown, engaging the inner surfaces oi' the former. The bottom or base of the base-plate 3 is straight or flat throughout the main portion oi' its length; but near its ends-that is, near points where its sides turn vertically upward-it is bent to give the same an upward incline, as indicated at 3. In line with the axes or' the several springs 1 the base-plate 3 is formed with periorations or retaining-seats 4. The base oil each spring rests upon a split or divided rocking spring-base 5, the sections oil which have depending retaining-lugs 6, that work in said retaining-seats 4. The two sections of cach base-spring 5 aii'ord an ap proximately round bearing ior the spring', and the bases of the springs bear upon the upper peripheral portions thereof. At points about midway between the. axis oi the springbase and its peripheral portions the under surfaces of the base-sections are beveled, so as to aii'ord fulcrum edges 7, that extend transversely of the spring base-plate 3. On their upper surfaces the sections oi' the springbases are formed with supplemental semitubular extensions 8, constituting divided friction-plungers which telescope into and Iric tionally engage with depending frictionsleeves 9, the upper ends of which are riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the spring capplate 2. rIhe provision oi' the divided plun-` ger-sections 8 on the rockingbases 5 and the provision of the coperating Ii'riction-sleeves 9 on the cap-plate 2 constitute a marked i'eature of departure from the construction disclosed and claimed in my said companion application above identiiied. The coiled springs 1 in this `present construction surround the telescoping ifriction-sleeves 8 and 9.

The beveled under portions oi' the outer base-sections 5 closely engage the beveled por tions 3 ofthe spring base-plate 3, while the corresponding beveled portions oi' the inner base-section 5 normally diverge upward from the intermediate portions oi said base-plate 3. t With this construction .it is evident that the pressure of the springs on the peripheral portions of the split bases 5 tends to rock said. base-sections on their fulcruln edges 7 and that the downward pressure on the said outer base-sections tends to press the upturned ends the downturned'ends of the cap-plate 2 under a pressure which is dependent largely on the tension of the spring and on the weight of the load applied thereto. It is evident that when the base-sections 5 are rocked in their 'fulcrums 7 their retaining-lugs 6 will be raised s lightly in the retaining-seats 4. To prevent the upwardly-moving intermediate portions of the rocking spring-bases 5 from engaging with the bases of the springs when thus rocked, they are beveled at their upper intermediate portions, as shown at 10. As shown, one section of each spring-base 5 is provided with a lug 1l, which affords a stop against which the lower end of the spring may be set to properly position the spring rotatively.

To limit the separating movements of the cap and base plates, a telescoping stop connection is provided. This stop connection is conveniently afforded by a sleeve 12 and a nutted bolt 13, the head of which bolt works withinv said sleeve and is normally pressed against the upper end web of said sleeve 12. The lower end of sleeve 12 is upset or flared to prevent it from being drawn through the baseplate 3, and the nut of the bolt 13 rests in a depression of the said cap-plate 2.

The parts between which the cushion is to be applied will engage one with the upper surface of the cap-plate 2 and the other with the lower surface of the spring base-plate 3. The cushion is especially adapted for use in railway-vehicles in connection with a cartruck and buffers, but is, nevertheless, serviceable generally wherever a device of its character is required.

The action, briefiy summarized, is substantially as follows: When the springs are compressed, theyreact on the split or divided spring-bases 5 and rock the sections thereof in opposite directions on their fulcrum edges 7. Such movements of the outer sections of the spring-bases press downward or straighten out the upwardly-bent portions 3a of the spring base-plate 3 and force the upwardlybent ends thereof more tightly against the downturned ends of the spring cap-plate 2. Furthermore, the said rocking movements of the two sections of the spring-base 5 throw the outer surfaces of their sleeve-sections 8 into frictional engagement with the inner surface of the cooperating friction-sleeve 9. It will be noted that normally there is suficient play between the sections of the divided sleeve 8 and the inner surface of the sleeve 9 to permit the sections of the divided spring-base to rock, as above described.

The compression of the spring can be accomplished only by telescoping movements of the spring-cap and spring-plate and of the supplemental retarding device afforded by the cooperating sleevesS and 9. Otherwise stated, the tendency of the springs to vibrate is resisted both by the primary and supplemental frictional retarding devices. Thus an eXtiemely-efhcient spring dampener or retarding device is provided.

1n the foregoing description the plate 2 has been designated as a cap-plate and the spring-plate 3 as a base-plate; but it will of course be understood that these designations are used only as a matter of convenience in eX- pressionand in no wise limit the cushion to use in any particular position. On the contrary, it is perfectly obvious that the cushion might be turned upside down or into a horizontal position and would, in fact, in many instances be used in such positions.

The plates 2 and 3 form an open housing for the spring; but in some instances the said plate might be made more of cup-like form, so as to form acomplete housing for the spring.

From what has been said it will be understood that the device described is capable of modification within the scope of my invention as herein set forth and claimed.

/Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. In a spring-cushion, the combination with a coiled spring, of a pair of members having frictionally-engaging parts located outside of said spring, and other frictionally-engaging members located inside of said spring, the said frictionally-engaging members having a sliding frictional engagement, under movements of the spring, substantially as described.

2. In a springcushion, the combination with a coiled spring, of a pair of frictionallyengaging members between which thespring IOO is compressed, said members having frictional engagement outside of said spring, and a supplemental friction device involving telescoping parts placed axially of and within said spring, said spring being arranged to force the frictionally-engagingparts into contact, substantially as described.

3. In a spring-cushion, the combination with a spring, and a pair of frictionally-enally of and within said spring, and a divided rocking base acting on the other of said frictionally-engaging members and subject to said spring, the sections of said divided base having supplemental plunger members telescoping into said friction-sleeve and frictionally engageable therewith, substantially as described.

IOS

IIO

5. The combination with the pair of friction ally-engaging plates or members, one thereof having' a plurality of friction-sleeves and the other having a base bent out of a straight line, of a plurality of divided rocking bases operu ating on the bent portions of the bent base of said latter member, and provided. with divided plunger extensions telescoping within and frictionally engaging with the corresponding friction-sleeves, and coiled springs surrounding said friction-sleeves and compressed between the corresponding rocking spring-bases and the opposite frictional plate, substantially as described.

6. The combination with the plates 2 and 3 having frictionallyengaging ends, the latter plate being bent out of a straight line at 3, ofa friction-sleeve 9 secured to said plate 2, the divided rocking springebases 5 having fulcrurn edges 7, retainingdugs 6 and divided plunger extensions 8, said lugs 6 being seated in said plate 3 and said divided sleeve telescoping within and frictionally engaging with the said sleeves 9, and the coiled springs 1 surrounding the corresponding sleeves 8 and `9 and compressed between said plate 2 and the said rocking bases 5, substantially as described.

7. In a spring-cushion, the combination with a'spring and a paii` o'l frictionally-engaging members between which said spring is compressed, said members having' frictional engagement outside of said spring, and one thereof having a friction-sleeve located within said spring, and a divided rockin 0' base subject to said spring' and having divided plunger projections working Within said cushionsleeve, the said rocking base acting on one of said friction engaging members, to hold the two members in frictional contact, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD DENEGRE.

l/Vitnesses:

JAMES D. Dummies, MORRILL DUNN. 

